Coverage of mobile User Equipment (UE) in 3GPP™ LTE systems is an ongoing concern. The desire is to provide connectivity to UEs in marginal signal strength conditions without excessive power consumption requirements placed on the UE.
One task required by a UE when it wishes to camp on an LTE cell is to perform cell synchronization. Synchronization includes detecting the Primary Synchronization Signal (PSS) and the Secondary Synchronization Signal (SSS) transmitted by the cell's evolved NodeB (eNB) base station. The PSS is used to indicate the cell identity within a group of cells, and the SSS is used to indicate the cell identity group number. Three different PSS signals and 168 different SSS signals are typically available. An eNB may use a particular combination of both identifiers to convey its cell-ID. A hierarchical cell search is performed by the UE to identify the cell-ID by analysis of the particular PSS and SSS transmitted by the cell's eNB.
However, standard methods of detecting the PSS and SSS can consume relatively large amounts of time and energy, particularly in marginal signal conditions and/or when Discontinuous Reception (DRX) is employed by a UE.
Therefore there is a need for a method and system for providing and using Primary Synchronization Signals for LTE systems that is not subject to one or more limitations of the prior art.
This background information is provided to reveal information believed by the applicant to be of possible relevance to the present invention. No admission is necessarily intended, nor should be construed, that any of the preceding information constitutes prior art against the present invention.